Watch-balance-staff supporter.



L. PRISAN T. WATCH BALANCE STAFF SUPPORTER.

APPLIOATIOI nun AUG. is. 1909.

"943,890, Patented Dec.21,1909.

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Witnesses RAZ/(ZZZZ L. PRISANT.

WATCH BALANCE STAFF SUPPOHTEB.

LPPLIOATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909.

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LOUIS museum, or ALBANY, GEORGIA, ns srenon or ens-HALF r0 3. norm, or Y ALBANY, enonem.

WATCH-BALANGE-STAFF SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Application filed August 25, 1909., Serial No. 514,572..

use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in bearings for balance staffs for watches or chronometers.

The object of the invention is to provide protectin means to prevent the pivoted ends of the ba ance staff from breaklng or bending should the watch receive a sudden shock or ar.

Another object is to provide means for preventing damage to the jewels in which the ivots are journaled.

ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe'appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a watch case showing the improved, mounting oft-he balance wheel. Fig. 2 is a plan view there of. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the balance wheel in the position which 1t assumes when the watch is subjected to a shock or severe ar. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the springs detached. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of one of the bearings of the journaling staff. Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated, side plates 1 and 2, of the watch works are shown having a balance wheel 3, mounted between them, said balance wheel being-of any ordinary or suitable construction. The plate 1, is provided in its outer face with a recess 1, having an aperture 5 extending centrally through the inner or bottom wall thereof, the outer wall of said aperture being beveled at 6, for a purpose to be described. A jewel setting 7 is set in said recess 4, and is preferably made circular in form and composed of two members 8 and 9, the inner member 8 having an annular flange 10,-which-normally rests on the bottom of the recess 4, and the inner face of which is preferably concave as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The outer member or cap 9 is preferably made concave-convex as shown and is secured to the inner member by means of fastening screws as 11, which extend into the member 8 and the heads thereof overlap the edges of the cap 9, and securely hold it in operative position.

A flat spring 12 is secured at one end to the outer face of the plate 1, and the free end thereof projects over the recess 4,. and is provided with an aperture 13, having its .inner walls beveled to form a seat for the cap 9, of the jewel setting. This spring 12 as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 lies closel against the outer face of the plate 1, and the cap 9 projects through the aperture therein and lies in a proximately the same plane as the outer ace of the spring 12.

This spring 12 is preferably constructed as shown in detail in Fig. 4 having a broad a ertured end 14, through which a plurality oi fastening screws as 15 are adapted to. be passed for securing the spring to plate 1.

An adjustable setting 16 is mounted in an aperture in the plate 2, and is somewhat different in form from that shown in plate 1, but is designed to perform the same function in the event the watch movement should receive a sudden jar sufficient. to exert a strain on the balance stafi and jewels. As shown this setting or bushing 16, comprises a frusto-conical tubular member 17, the smaller end of which extends inwardly within the aperture of the plate 2, and the outer or larger end is provided with an annular flange 18, the outer face of which is convexed and the inner face is slightly concaved, the outer edge of said flange being adapted to engage the side walls of a recess 19, formed around the aperture in the plate 2, and these side walls act as a-bearing to hold the bushing 16 in fixed relation to the balance staff of the wheel 3. The inner or reduced portion of the setting or bushing 16 extends through the aperture 2 in the plate 2 and extends into a cup-shaped shield 20, shown in cross section in Figs. 1 and 3. This shield 20 has a central aperture 21 in the bottom thereof and is provided at its outer edge with an outwardly extending lateral flange 22, which is adapted to fit within the recess 19 and rest on the inner or bottom wall thereof. This shield 20 is'designed to form a protector for the balance staff when said staff is thrown out of its normal position by any undue shock. The

setting or bushing 16 is held upon its seat free end extending over the recess 19 and engaging the outer face of the member 17 whereby the bushing 16 is held in fixed relation to the'balance staff, which posit-ion it maintains unless subjected to a jar or shock, the positions which one or both of the settings will assume when subjected to a shock being shown in Fig. 3.

' The wheel 3 is provided, with a balance staff 25 which is rovided at either end with an annular shou der 26, andwith reduced portions 27 and 28 which are adapted to pass through the aperture 5 in the plate 1, and through the aperture 21 in the shield 20, mounted in the plate/2 and are so arranged that should the balance wheel and staff be thrown out of normal position the walls of said apertures will engage the reduced portions 27 and 28 and the shoulders as 26 in whichever direction the shock occurs, said shoulders 26 being arranged a sufiicient distance from the inner face of theplate 1, and the shoulder 20, to permit the free operation of the balance wheel-3. The distance between the shoulders 26 and the plate and shield, however, is not great enough to allow the pivots of the balance staff to be thrown out of the jewels against which they bear, as will be hereinafter described. Pivot members 29 and 30 are arranged at opposite ends of the staff 25, and are adapted to engage jewels arranged in the settings 7 and 16. In each setting is arranged an imperforate jewel 31, against which the ends of the pivots 29 and 30 of the balance staff bear, said pivots passing through apertured jewels 32 arranged inside the jewels 31, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A banking spring 33 carrying the two banking pins 34; and 35, is arranged u on the inner surface of the plate 2, an is adapted to relieve the pallet lever 36, in the event of the derangement of said pallet lever due to the balance wheel being thrown out of position. This banking spring 33,

' is adjusted by a banking screw 37, as is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understoodv without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing-any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims,

I claim as my invention:

1. In a watch movement, the combination with the side plates of a watch work having a balance wheel and its staff mounted therein, one of said plates having a recess in its outer face with an a erture extending through the inner wall t ereof, a jewel set ting loosely mountedin said aperture and composed of a cylindrical member having an annular flange projecting outwardly from one end thereof, a concavo-convex cap men1- berclosing the other end of said cylindrical member, jewels arranged in said cylindrical member for engagement by one end of said.

stafi' and a plate spring secured at one end to the outer face of said recessed plate and having an aperture in its free end to fit over said cap to hold said setting yieldingly in operative position.

2. In a watch movement, the combination with the side plates of a watch work having a balance wheel and its staff mounted therein one of said plates having a recess in its outer face with an aperture extending through the inner wall thereof, a jewel setting loosely mounted in said recess and composed of a cylindrical member having an annular flange projecting outwardly from one end thereof, a concavo-convex cap member closing the other end of said cylindrical member, jewels arranged in said cylindrical member for engagement by one end of said staff, a plate sprmg secured at one end to I the outer face of said recessed plate, and having an aperture in its free end to fit over said cap to hold said setting yieldingly in operative position, the inner edge of the aperture in said s ring being beveled to form a seat for sai cap.

3. In a watch movement, the combination with the side plates of a watch work having a balance wheel and its staff mounted therein one of said plates having a recess in its outer face with an aperture in the bottom thereof, a jewel setting loosely mounted in said recess and composed of two detachably connected members, one of said members being cylindrical and having an annular flange arranged at one end thereof, said flange being concave on its inner face and convex on its outer face, aconcavo-convex cap member closing the outer end of said cylindrical member, jewels arranged in said cylindrical member for enga ement by one end of said staff, and a flat p late spring secured at one end to the outer face of said recessed plate and arranged in contact therewith, said spring havlng an aperture in its free end extending over the recess in said plate the inner edge of the spring aperture being beveled to ht snu 1y over said cap, the end of the cap extentfin approximately flush with the outer edge 0 the spring.

4. In a watch movement, the combination of spaced side plates having recesses in their plates and having the staff thereof shouldered and provided with reduced extensions 15 adapted to extend through the aperture in one plate and through the aperture in said shield.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 20 outer faces, one of said plates having an aperture in theinner wall of said recess, the outer ed es of saidaperture being beveled, a jewele setting loosely mounted in said recess and resilient means for holding said setting in operative position, the other side I plate havin a large aperture extending through'the hottom of the recess thereof, an

nesses. apertured invertecE} cup-sha ed shield arranged in said aperture, a ieweled setting LOUIS PRISANT' arranged in said cup-shaped shield, resilient Witnesses: means for holdin said setting in said shield, Sioo FARKAS, and abalance Wfiel arranged between said i M. A. BLUM. 

